When is the last time you stopped to gaze...at anything?  I mean really took a moment to soak in the awe and beauty of….something?  A softly falling snow. A wild daffodil smiling at the sun. A mountain mist.  A wistful waterfall.  A glowing red sky.  An ocean swell.  

Beauty all around us, but are you capturing it? Captivated by it? Or missing it?

 “See beauty and we know it in the marrow, even if we have no words for it:  Someone is behind it. Beauty Himself completes.”  AnnVoskamp

The catch?  We have to “see” it.  To know genuine undeniable beauty, to know it in our bones so that it moves us and mesmerizes us...draws us to worship Beauty Himself, we have to see it.  And there’s so much...so very much that gets in the way.  

What’s keeping you from “seeing” clearly?  What’s today’s death of distraction?  A crying toddler that you can’t seem to console?  A mountain of paperwork?  Finances out of control? Relationship on the rocks? Does looking ahead look daunting?  

Exhausted much?  Mentally drained much?  Disillusioned much?  

Stop and smell the coffee.  Stop and see the daffodils bobbing their bells in the breeze.  Catch a glimpse of that bright, beautiful cardinal flitting through the tree branches, flashes of red in the gray.  And remember, Jesus is there.  Beauty Himself is there.  You’re not alone.  

I can’t explain how it makes a difference but it does.  Maybe it’s because Beauty is so full of Love.  And Love compels and completes.  

The madness may not go away anytime soon.  The paperwork will be waiting.  The toddler will still be throwing a tantrum.  The finances will always need attention.  The relationship matters and requires work, lots of work.And the future couldn’t be more uncertain.  But Jesus wants you to know He’s there, waiting for your wistful eye to cast it’s gaze upon Him and be stirred.  Strengthened.  Encouraged.  Awed.  Lifted above all the noise to a moment of immeasurable peace. A moment with Him.  

“One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, 

To gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.”  

                                                                          Psalm 27:4

In a moment, the Maker can make your day with His unexplainable beauty.  

Don’t miss it.  

He Fills My Life With Good Things

Psalm 103:4-5,  “He redeems me from death, and crowns me with love and tender mercies.   He fills my life with good things.”  

I had to stop my reading and just let this sink in.  I am awed and humbled that God has chosen to show Himself so gracious towards me.  My life is so full of good things, and the good things just keep coming. 

In July, Roger and I had the privilege of having all our children and grandchildren, our parents, and most of our siblings, along with some dear friends, gather with us to celebrate thirty-five years of the life that God has given us together.  And celebrate we did! For a week as a family we ate together, played games together, hung out at the pool together and around the firepit; there were laughs, and stories, and time spent just sharing our hearts, burdens and prayer requests.  We sang together, and we worked together to see the week culminate in a beautiful ceremony of shared commitment and renewal to the future God still has in store for us.  Everyone pitched in, from the youngest with rakes and brooms, to the older ones with weed-eaters and lawn mowers, and from cleaning to cooking, to make sure everything was ready for our special day.  And when it was all over, we hugged and cried, said our goodbyes, and began looking forward to the next time we’d all be able to be together again, not knowing when that might be or what might change before that next time. 

We believe what we have as a family is something to be treasured.  But maybe like your family, we’re not perfect.  We have our moments.  We don’t always agree on everything, nor do things quite the same way.  In fact, we can be quite opinionated and passionate about a lot of different things, and the family setting has often been the place those things have been “loudly discussed”.  But that is part of what makes it so great.  We all have a desire to honor God.  We all love and respect each other.  Our love and commitment to Christ keeps our love and commitment to each other strong.  He always brings us back to what is right, and what may need to be made right with each other.  He makes what we have worth any effort it may take on each individual part to keep the whole intact. 

Two take-aways:  1) People matter, and 2) It’s not about “stuff”. 

People matter. 

Relationships matter, but they take work to be good and strong.  Relationships need mutual respect and consideration, selfless giving and honesty, humility and forgiveness.  The Scripture says that “if it be possible, as much as lies within you, live peaceably with all men,” (Romans 12:18).  This infers that in some situations with some people it’s just not going to happen.  We cannot control how others choose to handle themselves.  All we can do is determine to love like Jesus loves, forgive like Jesus forgives, and pray for those that would choose not to “live peaceably with all men”. 

In a recent conversation with someone in a rather desperate situation, I was being asked for help.  But they also explained they did not want to hear any of my “Christian hogwash, since my life had been so perfect” (and that was the decent version of their comments).   Yet, they were calling me!  And I wanted to say, “NO, MY LIFE HAS NOT BEEN PERFECT, BUT IT SURE HAS BEEN GOOD.  And you may not want to hear it, or acknowledge that God has had anything to do with the fact that my life has taken quite a different turn than yours, but at least I know that my choices to honor God and live to serve Him have kept me from the many hard times and heartbreaks that have come as a result of nothing more than selfish and sinful choices." 

Some hurts are unavoidable.  Some situations are beyond my control.  But even those times, if not intrinsically good, I can trust God to bring good from or work to my good as He promises to do (Romans 8:28, James 1:17).  So I said the only thing I could say to this person, “You know me.  You may not want to hear it, but it’s all I’ve got for you.  You need God.  You need His forgiveness.  You need to allow His love to really penetrate your heart and give you hope and a future.  He can, and He wants to, but He won’t do it against your will.  I love you, and I’m praying He will intervene and give you a chance to know His mercy and grace.”  That person is still living in a despairing and miserable situation, but only because they won’t choose to do otherwise.  And at the same time they want me to feel guilty and accuse me of thinking I am better than they are because I have a good life.  I refuse to do it!!  I will praise God for filling my life with good things. 

It’s not about “stuff.”
For some, having a life filled with good things is all about “stuff”.  They can never have enough stuff.  We have had times with very little and what would not be considered, “nice stuff”.  We’ve had times when we have been able to have nice things.  “Stuff” can make life a little easier, pleasant, less stressful maybe.  And don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for all the “stuff” God has blessed us with. But it’s not about “stuff”.   It’s about being able to go to sleep at night content with the day you’ve had, happy and at peace.  It’s about loving others and knowing you are loved.  It’s about this deep joy inside even when you are hurting, that just can’t be explained.  It’s about being able to trust in Someone greater than yourself when your inadequacies are overwhelming, when your limits are stretched, when the situation seems hopeless.  My heart is weary for those that,  with disdain, shun this type of goodness, goodness of the purest sort.  Stuff is ok; stuff is nice to have, but having lots of stuff doesn't constitute a good life. 

 “It’s a wonderful life!” “Life is good.” “Living the good life.”  You know the cliches.  However you want to say it, it’s all good and I’m grateful.  I can say that mine is a wonderful life.  I can say my life is good.  And I really hope you can say with  me, “He fills my life with good things.” 

 

God is great, God is good.

On a first name basis, it'a a good place to be.

Exodus 33: 17  “For the Lord said to Moses, I will also do this thing that you have spoken: for you have found grace in my sight, and I know you by name.”

There’s a measure of security and significance in the fact that someone that matters knows you by name.  As a part of this huge cosmos, it’s easy to sometimes just feel lost, like no one really knows you and if they do, do they really care about the things you care about?  What about when you mess up?  What then?  It’s comforting to have that person that really knows you look at you with love and acceptance and forgiveness, not disappointment and disgust. 

Moses had this meaningful and transparent relationship with God.  They shared.  They talked.  They vented.  And it was okay.  That’s the kind of relationship to have, one of mutual understanding and commitment, acceptance and belonging.  They didn’t always agree, but they were on the same page.  And that was what mattered.  When Moses needed to be reassured of where he stood in the relationship…and we all do from time to time…God let him know He was still there and His grace was at work in his life. 

               Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way

               that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And He said, My Presence

               will go with you, and I will give you rest.  Then he [Moses] said to Him, If Your Presence

              does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.  

I am so amazed and encouraged that my God knows me by name.  He knows me, and still wants to be with me.  In fact, He says that the fact that His very presence is mine to enjoy is how I can know I have found grace in His sight (in other words, He loves me in spite of myself!).  His Presence and Grace then provide the purpose and direction I need in my life when I feel like I’m losing my way. 

It also gives me an example to follow in my relationships with others.  Sometimes the people that are supposed to know you love them and that you are there for them just need to hear it.  They need to be reassured.  Sometimes it’s just your presence they need, even if it’s across the miles…prayer can take you there, and a quick text , message or note when you can’t be there to hug or hold can mean so much.  Your spouse needs to hear it too, that you are there for them, loving them, supporting them, listening to them.  And as God extends His grace to us, following His example, extend it to others.  That means your care and concern may not be deserved or appreciated, but that’s not the point.  Grace is about the other person. 

O dear God, thank you for a beyond-first-name-basis-relationship!  You know me, better than I know myself, and You still love me and desire to be my ever present companion.  Thank you for reaffirming our relationship with your grace and your presence, and for showing me Your way.  It’s always best. 

Like Moses, if You don’t go with me, I don’t want to go...to whatever or wherever that may be.  Amen. 

For the Love of a Mom

My daily devotional called for “trust in God’s greater plans as He does His far better work in the history of our lives” (Joe Stowell, Our Daily Bread, February 9, 2013). It suggested that rather than be annoyed by “anything that diverts me from my routines and plans” (and that sometimes the diversion can even be “unsettling and painful”), we should consider them “divine diversions”.

I not only can say a hearty “Amen to that!” I know personally the difference it can make when we step back and consider all that God may be doing and simply trust what we do not understand or cannot see. And for some reason, this directed my thinking to being a mom (like so many things do!).

What beautiful things have been a part of my experiences, and I am forever grateful to the Giver of all good things. I know and understand, to the depth of my limited understanding, the love and grace of a forgiving God. I am His, and He is mine. I enjoy a relationship that is personal, and it is real. My relationship with the God of the universe through the undeserved death of His Son Jesus, has awed me since my young heart first grasped this great and mind-boggling truth. And even though still, I wonder why or how, I embrace it and cherish it. I think of the many “diversions” that have come my way to direct me and lead me down the path I have taken and I have to just step back and with a huge sigh of relief, say “Thank God He has been in charge and not me!”

That’s not to say I have always been the willing and obedient child. I’m grateful that He is as patient as He is forgiving! And I think of all the people that have built into my life. Some of them have no idea of the impact they have made as our paths crossed for a moment or a season. They each have a place of meaning and significance in my life. Every role I have been allowed, from daughter to sister, to granddaughter and niece, to cousin, to friend and neighbor, from aunt to daughter-in-law to mother-in-law and sister-in-law, to wife, mother and now grandmother, they represent a very full and good life.

But this mom thing…being a parent, I don’t know. I’ve spent the greater part of my life now doing it, parenting. It’s such an honor. It’s such hard work! The funny thing? It’s not just my own biological children that call me, or have called me mom. I’m not so sure it is what I am called that matters as much as what I do with a gift I am given. The Scripture says that “children are a gift from the Lord”. I can’t imagine having tossed my “gifts” aside like they were worthless. What a treasure my children have been, and still are for that matter. But this mom thing has taken a few turns as well. There have been a few “divine diversions” along the way, things Rog and I didn’t expect, didn’t plan for, weren’t sure how to always deal with. But what we did have was God’s Word. And He is the great example of a parent. He became our model. And He said, “whosoever will may come.” He made His love known. It is unconditional. We didn’t have to become His perfect children first before He chose to love us and accept us with all our problems. And He doesn’t force His love on anyone. He just gives it, and keeps giving it even when it is rejected.

That is so like God. It’s much harder for me. I love people, maybe because so many have poured themselves and their love into me. I’m sure for someone that hasn’t had the benefit and blessing of knowing God’s love, or anyone else’s…I mean love the way it is supposed to be: unselfish, unyielding, unimposing, the kind of love explained in I Corinthians 13, that it might seem impossible to experience.

But it is possible.

“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it
does not seek its own, is not easily provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in
unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all
things. Love never fails.”

Did you catch that? Love never fails. People fail love. There’s no denying that some people are harder to love, sadly even some children. They can provoke irritation, frustration; they can even be hateful, hurtful and dare I say, revolting. But I remind myself often that “love is not easily provoked”. And I can genuinely love the children and young people that God directs into my path because I know He loves them dearly and they need to know His love.

As to what they decide to call me when they’re not my own? I’m ok with ‘Mom.’ if that's what they comfortably or naturally choose. I’m not going to take that away from them. Am I privileged to bear the title? Yes, but it’s not about me really. It’s more about the fact that perhaps they’ve come to enjoy the compassion and nurture and teaching and training and all that a mom is, the way God intended. Just maybe they start to see themselves differently because a mom values them, believes in them, prays for them. And it does not take away from how dear it is to me to have my own children call me their version of Mother: “Mom”, “Momma”, even “MooMoo”! It’s about the relationship that is developed, the love, the trust, the mutual respect and appreciation.

These are my “divine diversions”, children other than my very own that maybe I did not expect to have a part in rearing. Instead of being annoyed by it or avoiding it, I have welcomed it. Not because of who I am, but rather because they are gifts from God to be cherished. Even the rotten, provoking ones! Who knows, but for the love of a mom that just wants them to know Jesus’ love, they would have no chance at the life God has planned for them.

I'm a mom. I don’t know what role God has placed you in, what opportunities He has given you to love others through Him in a way you didn't ask for or expect. Maybe it's Dad, aunt, mentor, friend. Don’t run from it, embrace your “divine diversions”, to His glory and your blessing.

“Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God”. Mark 10:14